W and Z-class destroyer

Ship class

The W and Z class was a class of sixteen destroyers of the Royal Navy launched in 1943–1944. They were constructed as two flotillas, with names beginning with "W-" and "Z-", respectively, although, like the preceding U and V class, two of the flotilla leaders were named after historical naval figures (as had been Royal Navy practice during the inter-war years). They were known as the 9th and 10th Emergency Flotilla, respectively and served as fleet and convoy escorts in World War II. None were lost during World War II but INS Eilat (originally HMS Zealous) was sunk during the Israel-Egypt conflict in October 1967 by Egyptian missile boats and the El Qaher (originally HMS Myngs) of the Egyptian Navy was sunk at Berenice, Egypt on 16 May 1970 by Israeli Air Force aircraft during the War of Attrition.

Design

Repeats of the preceding U and V-class destroyers, with modified director structures. The Z class were armed with 4.5 inch guns.^[1]

Ships

W class

Z class

See also

• The V and W-class destroyers: World War I destroyer class.
• Type 15 frigate: postwar full conversion of Wartime Emergency Programme destroyers into first-rate fast anti-submarine frigates

References

Notes

1. March, p.419.
2. Mason, Geoffrey B. (2002). Gordon Smith (ed.). "HMS Kempenfelt (ii) (R 03) - W-class Flotilla Leader". naval-history.net. Archived from the original on 30 April 2018. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
3. Mason, Geoffrey B. (2002). Gordon Smith (ed.). "HMS Wessex (ii) (R 78) - W-class Destroyer". naval-history.net. Archived from the original on 23 June 2017. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
4. Mason, Geoffrey B. (2006). Gordon Smith (ed.). "HMS Myngs (R 06) - Z-class Flotilla Leader". naval-history.net. Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
5. Mason, Geoffrey B. (2004). Gordon Smith (ed.). "HMS Zenith (R 95) - Z-class Destroyer". naval-history.net. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
6. Mason, Geoffrey B. (2004). Gordon Smith (ed.). "HMS Zest (R 02) - Z-class Destroyer". naval-history.net. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
7. Mason, Geoffrey B. (2004). Gordon Smith (ed.). "HMS Zodiac (R 52) - Z-class Destroyer". naval-history.net. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2015.

Bibliography

• Cocker, Maurice (1981). Destroyers of the Royal Navy, 1893-1981. Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-1075-7.
• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
• Robert Gardiner, ed. (1984). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-913-8.
• March, Edgar (1966). British destroyers: A history of development 1892-1953. London: Billing and Sons Ltd.
• Marriott, Leo (1994). Royal Navy Destroyers since 1945. Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-1817-0.
• Raven, Alan; Roberts, John (1978). War Built Destroyers O to Z Classes. London: Bivouac Books. ISBN 0-85680-010-4.
• Whitley, M. J. (1988). Destroyers of World War 2. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-326-1.

External links